PM tells farmers to plant crops which consume less water

[rooster59]

PM tells farmers to plant crops which consume less water

BANGKOK: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha told farmers in Uthai Thai province today (Friday) to switch from rice farming to crops which consume less water to cope with drought problem.

The prime minister was in Uthai Thani’s Lansak district to preside over a ceremony to present land rights documents to 331 members of a land reform cooperatives. A total of 2,000 rai of land were allocated to the farmers for cultivation under land reform project.

The prime minister also gave assurance that the government would help all farmer groups without discrimination.

He said he would like the farmers in this cooperative to become a role model for the other cooperatives to follow suit in the way of switching from rice farming which consumes a lot of water to crops which require less water.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/152604

-- Thai PBS 2016-02-27

[Gsxrnz]

Somehow I don't think planting tomatoes and zucchini will be a great substitute for rice in the Thai diet.

Of course, it's too hard to admit that their water management systems aren't even on a par with 5th century Europe.

[NongKhaiKid]

i am also invoking my powers under Art 44 to limit the amount of water that can be thrown over the Sonkgran period.

Each citizen will be permitted an amount which will be announced later with tourists and non-Thais allocated half that

.

Everyone is warned that these limits must not be exceeded and there will be a nationwide crackdown, purge and vigorous enforcement all in one to ensure the law is complied with. Offenders can expect no mercy.

[leeneeds]

Looking at other areas i have been in the world growing millet in the drought areas, could be a small part in helping the farmers woes of no rain, millets have more nutrition than rice and wheat and are more friendly to the environment, there are many varieties,

If the government want to change the mind set of the farmers then (show them) buy buying the millet,to make a start,

poor old Pa he does not know, do this, don't do this , be proactive and LEAD.

[DM07]

Like camels and cactusses (cactei...cac...you get my point!)???

[leeneeds]

Like camels and cactusses (cactei...cac...you get my point!)???

Yes get your point, if the drought is going to last then maybe grow some agave plants , where tequilla can be made from these plants just need the water at the start of there growing cycle , only trouble is a good few years to harvest, Oh but what a party after harvest time, Hic!

[ezzra]

Send people to Israel to learn and study how an arid waterless and parched country for many years

has turned to be a country with surpluses water by using water recycling methods and building

desalinations plants... problems solved, for ever.....

[shirtless]

They need to change , but i doubt they will, as always the Government is their to bail them out .

[jaltsc]

"Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha told farmers in Uthai Thai province today (Friday) to switch from rice farming to crops which consume less water to cope with drought problem."

Thailand...The hub of cactus production.

[NCC1701A]

"...and switch from rice farming to crops which consume less water to cope with drought problem. Thank you for coming today. OK That was easy. What else I got to do today?"

"Nothing Boss."

"O.K. I can't believe I have to explain this to everyone. Why can't they be smart like me? What do they need water for anyway?"

"Yes Boss."

[bangkokfrog]

Poorly thought out comments like this show just how out of touch this government (and those before them that have "advised" farmers the same thing) really are. The average farm family has been growing rice on their land for hundreds of years. Not only is it all they know, but most are not literate enough and / or don't have access to the information required to decide on the best alternate crop and learn how to successfully cultivate it. Moreover, any brave enough to try will most likely get ripped off by middle-men. Yes, farm dynamics in Thailand needs to change but not as some sort of knee-jerk reaction to poor government water planning.

[yellowboat]

Isn't that rail agreement with China he signed suppose to be paid for with rice ? He may want to look beyond this drought towards the future.

[arrowsdawdle]

So much for those touted rain planes.

[Eric Loh]

That's as good as avoiding and telling the farmers to solve their own problems. This year is El Nina and drought is expected. The weather will resume its normal pattern come next year. Changing a crop just for this year and back to rice is just ludicrous. The government should be talking about improving and innovating current poor irrigation system. Much to learn from improving the Infrastructure and using rice grain that use less water like in Philippines.

[gk10002000]

yeah well, with rice as one of the staples of the people and the export business, this is not sounding like a good idea. How about better water management, damn construction, etc? Rice of course in general requires a lot of ground level water. But every year in the news we read about rain and floods and then drought. The weather pattern in Thailand has not changed much in the last 1000 years. There always was rain and floods and "drought". That is why old Thai houses are built on stilts! What has changed is the heavy use of water in the off season, poor to non-existent water storage, mass water consumption of stored water by modern living, etc. It is not too late to protect and save the country, but they need to get organized on a huge scale river and damn wise

[Caveat Emptor]

Send people to Israel to learn and study how an arid waterless and parched country for many years

has turned to be a country with surpluses water by using water recycling methods and building

desalinations plants... problems solved, for ever.....

Plus the meeting with the Dutch Ambassador was an ideal opportunity to mention getting practical advice and assistance on flood defences.

Unfortunately both issues require asking foreigners and the benefits have to be balanced against loss of face.

[Taffyfromflint]

Looking at other areas i have been in the world growing millet in the drought areas, could be a small part in helping the farmers woes of no rain, millets have more nutrition than rice and wheat and are more friendly to the environment, there are many varieties,

If the government want to change the mind set of the farmers then (show them) buy buying the millet,to make a start,

poor old Pa he does not know, do this, don't do this , be proactive and LEAD.

I lived for a while in central Queensland where they grow Sorghum by the Square mile. This cereal is refuted to be the one that will stop world hunger as wells being drought resistant. Maybe the PM should look at alternatives for the poor farmer not beat him over the head with more rules

[stickyrice2000]

This is what the upper position like to do. They only say things, but never guide and support with the changes.

[HenryB]

Send people to Israel to learn and study how an arid waterless and parched country for many years

has turned to be a country with surpluses water by using water recycling methods and building

desalinations plants... problems solved, for ever.....

It will be a good idea but Thailand want the EU to be happy and the EU wants boycott Israel Can Thailand learn from the Palestine's how to beg the EU for money

[vrskrng]

Send people to Israel to learn and study how an arid waterless and parched country for many years

has turned to be a country with surpluses water by using water recycling methods and building

desalinations plants... problems solved, for ever.....

It will be a good idea but Thailand want the EU to be happy and the EU wants boycott Israel Can Thailand learn from the Palestine's how to beg the EU for money

Let them learn from Israel how to steal water

[trainman34014]

He repeats this every Friday on his 'return to happiness' TV broadcasts as one of numerous repeats because he can't think of anything new to say. Shame some farmers don't listen as more than 50% of them around our way have planted second rice crops they were told not to.

As my Mrs says, the biggest problem with Thai people is their bone headed 'attitude problem' to everything that confronts them, as they resist any change to the way they have always done things. They prefer to do it their way and then complain vociferously when it all goes tits up and blame everyone except themselves.

[billd766]

Somehow I don't think planting tomatoes and zucchini will be a great substitute for rice in the Thai diet.

Of course, it's too hard to admit that their water management systems aren't even on a par with 5th century Europe.

Of course it is equally hard for some people to accept and understand that the current government has inherited decades of inefficient water management from many previous governments, who over those decades did very little to improve the system.

The current government is damned by many for not fixing 20 or 30 years of problems in a couple of years, compounded of course by the prolonged El Nino drought which I am sure people want to blame them for also.

Whilst it is good for some people to blame the current government for all the ills and woes in much the same way that other posters blame Thaksin for all the corruption for the past 15 years or so.

Until ALL the Thai people are treated the same and work together for the benefit of ALL the Thai people, little will be achieved in the way of progress.

You can slag off the PM all you like but he is right in saying that many Thai farmers need to change their ways. Doing things the old way doesn't seem to work any more.

For example Vietnam produces far more rice than Thailand per rai so IMO Thailand should send farmers to Vietnam to see how they can produce more for less.

Changing crops for those which use less water is a good idea BUT simply saying so does not make it so.

The questions to ask are, what to change to, what is the market like, can farmers make a profit with a new crop, what help can the government give apart from money? Should farmers build and run their own co-operatives? If so who can manage it openly and honestly.

Instead of making sarcastic remarks, why not think it through and come up with your own ideas what where and how things can be changed.

[billd766]

Send people to Israel to learn and study how an arid waterless and parched country for many years

has turned to be a country with surpluses water by using water recycling methods and building

desalinations plants... problems solved, for ever.....

Where would you build a desalination plant (by the sea obviously)?

Then the problems start.

Having built your plant how do you transport the water perhaps thousands of kilometres to where it is needed?

If you build a pipeline with offshoots, how much will it cost and how long will it take to build? How many pumping stations would be needed and how much will it cost to run them?

Will you give the water to the farmers or will they have to pay for it, and if so will the cost be less for the farmers closer to the desalination plants and more expensive for those further away? If they get water for free then effectively it becomes a subsidy and everybody pays for it through taxes but not so many people benefit from it.

If you still think it is easy can you explain how you would do it?

Try comparing the land area and population of Israel with the land area and population of Thailand and then see how easy it is.

Edited February 27, 2016 by billd766

[Jip99]

Somehow I don't think planting tomatoes and zucchini will be a great substitute for rice in the Thai diet.

Probably more nutritious though......

[tbthailand]

with all his farming experience...

[beerzy]

So general what crops should they plant?????

[nev]

So general what crops should they plant?????

Weeds they seem to grow really well in any weather conditions.

[Alwyn]

The Junta produces enough bull-pap to help farmers across the land with manure.

[mfd101]

Somehow I don't think planting tomatoes and zucchini will be a great substitute for rice in the Thai diet.

Of course, it's too hard to admit that their water management systems aren't even on a par with 5th century Europe.

Of course it is equally hard for some people to accept and understand that the current government has inherited decades of inefficient water management from many previous governments, who over those decades did very little to improve the system.

The current government is damned by many for not fixing 20 or 30 years of problems in a couple of years, compounded of course by the prolonged El Nino drought which I am sure people want to blame them for also.

Whilst it is good for some people to blame the current government for all the ills and woes in much the same way that other posters blame Thaksin for all the corruption for the past 15 years or so.

Until ALL the Thai people are treated the same and work together for the benefit of ALL the Thai people, little will be achieved in the way of progress.

You can slag off the PM all you like but he is right in saying that many Thai farmers need to change their ways. Doing things the old way doesn't seem to work any more.

For example Vietnam produces far more rice than Thailand per rai so IMO Thailand should send farmers to Vietnam to see how they can produce more for less.

Changing crops for those which use less water is a good idea BUT simply saying so does not make it so.

The questions to ask are, what to change to, what is the market like, can farmers make a profit with a new crop, what help can the government give apart from money? Should farmers build and run their own co-operatives? If so who can manage it openly and honestly.

Instead of making sarcastic remarks, why not think it through and come up with your own ideas what where and how things can be changed.

A great deal depends on particular circumstances for individual farmers or families.

My partner's family had only ever done subsistence farming until recently, growing only a small amount of rice for family consumption, with some fruits & vegies similarly, a small sugar crop for market, and surviving - like so many in the village - on subsidies from occasional jobs & offspring in BKK, then, from 2012, from falang boyfriend namely me. As El Nino started to threaten Australia early last year with promise for worse to come for SEAsia, I suggested to them that they needed to think thru their alternatives, noting that they live beside a large artificial lake which stole half the farm when the dam was built some 20 or more years ago. What can you do with plenty of water? Well, you can produce two things in constant local demand with no reducing prices such as with rice or sugar or rubber: namely, ducks & fish.

The younger ones were receptive to this way of thinking, and their old dad was too. 18 months later, and with continuing but reducing subsidies from me, we can't keep up with the demand for our fat juicy ducks (Army arrives 2 or 3 times a week to buy 2 or 5 or more, neighbours every day too). And we put in a large fishpond reclaimed from the lake [expensive earthworks] to supplement the small ponds they already have: several thousand fish are now nearing marketable size.

The lesson from this is that people are not against learning new tricks, even people with low or zero levels of education. They just need a practical way forward and that is simply not available to most poor farmers everywhere in Thailand: first they need the concepts, then they need some investment monies and practical resources (and not just water), then growing self-confidence and willingness to try new things will flow. Which is where government & collective efforts can make all the difference. But it requires leadership & persistence. At the local level, that means village headpersons assisted & advised by proactive government agencies ... I don't think this has to be a pipe dream. It can be done, and there are probably better and more generally appiicable examples than mine already out there. The government's job is one of leadership but to expect governments to do everything is silly - it's not desirable even if they had the capacity. It's local leadership, courage and concepts that's required more than centralized command & control.

[Srikcir]

Somehow I don't think planting tomatoes and zucchini will be a great substitute for rice in the Thai diet.

Of course, it's too hard to admit that their water management systems aren't even on a par with 5th century Europe.

Of course it is equally hard for some people to accept and understand that the current government has inherited decades of inefficient water management from many previous governments, who over those decades did very little to improve the system.

The current government is damned by many for not fixing 20 or 30 years of problems in a couple of years, compounded of course by the prolonged El Nino drought which I am sure people want to blame them for also.

Whilst it is good for some people to blame the current government for all the ills and woes in much the same way that other posters blame Thaksin for all the corruption for the past 15 years or so.

Until ALL the Thai people are treated the same and work together for the benefit of ALL the Thai people, little will be achieved in the way of progress.

You can slag off the PM all you like but he is right in saying that many Thai farmers need to change their ways. Doing things the old way doesn't seem to work any more.

For example Vietnam produces far more rice than Thailand per rai so IMO Thailand should send farmers to Vietnam to see how they can produce more for less.

Changing crops for those which use less water is a good idea BUT simply saying so does not make it so.

The questions to ask are, what to change to, what is the market like, can farmers make a profit with a new crop, what help can the government give apart from money? Should farmers build and run their own co-operatives? If so who can manage it openly and honestly.

Instead of making sarcastic remarks, why not think it through and come up with your own ideas what where and how things can be changed.

Do recall that the current government is a military organization that has been in control of now twelve governments since 1933. It has alone established 20 constitutions and shuffled the government organization and passed hundreds of laws to reform the whole of Thai society. Together with the royalist Democrat party allied with the military in all that time, nonroyalist regimes have actually been in control of government a minority of the time.

So the current regime cannot be excused for inherited problems.

The RTM is itself an inherited problem.